1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method for forming an image in accordance with any of a plurality of modes.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, the copying machines having facsimile and printer functions have been manufactured. It is currently common practice to connect a sorter with a copying machine, wherein the sorter can be also connected to the above-mentioned copying machine having multiple functions. In the conventional copying machine, if the sorter bin becomes full during copying, the copying operation is interrupted and controlled to display a message prompting the operator to remove the sheets from the bin. In such copying operation, it is more suitable to remove the sheet and restart after interruption due to the bin being full because the operator can classify properly the sheets which have been sorted.
If the copying machine having a plurality of functions is controlled conventionally when the bin is full as above described, the receiving/recording operation in a facsimile mode, or the recording operation in a printer mode may be inconsistent, because the operator does not often reside beside the copying machine as the recording is started from an external apparatus. Thus, if the recording operation is interrupted, all the images cannot be printed, and especially in the facsimile mode, the operator at the receiving side does not know when the receiving/recording occurs creating a high possibility that the reception results incompletely.